Looper-operating mechanism for sewing-machines.



L. ONDERDONK.

LOOPEB. OPERATING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 11. 1908,

. Patented Jan 5, 1915.

s sums-sum 1.

Elnuentoz wmmm 1 6 L. ONDERDONK.

LOOPER OPERATING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINER.

QPPLILATIQN flL BD MAR. 11, 190?) Patented Jan. 5, 1915.

5 SHBETS-SHIJET 2.

f OND'ERDONK; I LOOPEB. OPERATING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION TILED MAR. 11, 1908.

Patented Jan 5, 1915.

5 LHEETSSHEET ,8.

L. ONDERDONK,

LOOPBR OPERmNG' MECHANISM ma sswwc; mun

APPLICATION LEI MAR 11, 1908 anvemtoz 193mm Jan. 5, 1915.

5SHEETS-SHBET 4.

L. ONDERDONK.

L'ooPER OPERATING mncmmsm FOB SEWING MACHINES.

AYZLJLOATION IICLED MAR. 11, L9i38,

Patented Jan. 5. 1915.

5 GHEE'KS SHEET 5v We 5 n coma UNITED sTAtgss PATENT OFFICE.

LANSING ONDEBDONK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGN OR TO UNION SPECIAL COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

MACHINE LOOPER-OPERATING MECHANISM FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 5, 1915.

Application filed March 11, 1908. SQIial No,420,$09

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, LANSING ONDERDONK, a citizen of the United States, residing at NewYork, in the county of New York, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Looper- Operating Meehanism for Sewing-Machines, of which the following-is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to sewing machines, and more especially to sewing machines operating to make a double thread chain stitch,

' ti'ally in a right line, to give thereto a needle avoiding movement and the looper is then retracted substantially in a right line and subsequently quickly brought to the first position for its forward movement.

A further object of my invention is to provide a looper carrier so constructed that ward so that access to the looper may be the looper may be swung from normal position to a position where the same is acces-' sible for threading. 1 v Further objects of my invention will in .part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully described.

a In the drawings which show by way of illustration one embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a front end elevation with parts in section, showing a sewing machine with my improved looper mechan sm applied thereto. Fig'. 2 is a similar detail view showing the looper thrown vforward for threading and the cover plate moved forhad. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the work support showing the looper operating mechanism as viewed from the rear of the machine and showing a portion of the needle bar and the needles carried thereby. Fig. 4 is a bottomplan view of the looper operating mechanism. Fig. 5 is a detail viewshowing the connection between the main shaft and the looper op erating mechanism, beneath the work support. Fig. 6 is a detail View partly in sec t1 on,. show ing the looper operating mecha- IIIISIII as viewed.from'thehrear. of the ma chine. Fig. isa similar view, showing the parts in a different position. Fig.8 is a (16 13311, view partly in section, showing the needles and. loopers'as viewed from the front of themachine, as the looper is moved forward into the needle loop. Fig. 9 is a similar view showing the ,loopers as being retracted, Fig. 10 is a detail view showing imdpitted lines-the path of the eye of the looper, relative to the needle and the spreader for the ,looper thread. Fig. 11 is a view showing, the looper thread carried around the spreader-and the needle entering between .the looper thread and the body ofthe looper. Fig. 12 is a detail showing an enlarged view of the spreader.

The work support 1 has rising therefrom,

the usual "overhan ing arm which supports at its forward en the needle head 2. In said needle head 2, is mounted a needle bar which reciprocates in a bearing 4 formed at the lower end of the needle head, and a second bearing 5 carried by the overhanging arm. Said hearing?) as shown in Fi 1, is locatedbelow the main shaft 6 and is spaced from the lower bearing 4 a distance only sufficient to allow the collar 7 in the needle bar, to receive a full reciprocation from the main shaft 6. The collar 7 is connected to a crank. disk ,8, carried by the main 'shaft6 through a link 9. The needle,

bar 3, extends above the bearing 5 only such a distance that when the needle bar is vibrated, it will not leave said bearing 5. It

will thus be seen that my needle bar is ex-- tremely short and with the bearings4 and 5 close together better overcomes the lateral action of the, operating link 9, thus permitting the use of a needle bar of small diameter, consequently of much lighter weight than is commonly used in sewing machines,

which is very desirable in high speed'machines.

The bearing 5 which supports the needle bar'directly above the attachment of the link to said needle bar, supports the needle bar against the lateral thrusts of the link 9, and overcomes the tendency of the needle bar to bind in its bearing also to wear the bearing hole oblong, as is liable when only one bearing is used. The presser bar 10, is of the 12. .construction and will not need further deusual construction and carries a presser foot '11 at the lower end.- Said presser bar is raised and lowered by the usual hand lever The feed dog 13 is also of the usual plication. i

A-looper supporting shaft 14 is provided with a looper carrier 15 or when desired, with a plurality of looper carriers, arranged side by side as shown in Figs. 3, 8 and 9. The looper carrier is rigidly secured to said shaft by a set screw'16. Said looper carrier is made in two parts. The part attached to, the looper supporting shaft 14 is provided with spaced ears 17, 17, see Fig. 8, between which the upper portion 18 of the carrier is pivoted by a suitable screw 19.

A spring 20 secured to the looper carrier engages the lower end 21 of the upper .portion'18 of the looper carrier and normally holds said portion 18 with the looper in its extreme rearward position as shown in Fig. 1. \Vhen, however, it is desired to thread the looper, the portion 18 of the carrier, may be tilted forward as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. Said spring 20 is formed with a shoulder 20 which bears against the lower end of the upperportion and said shoulder operates to hold said upper portion either in ts normal position or in its forward position for threading.

The looper 22 which is mounted in the looper car-rier 15'as shown in the present illustration of my invention, is' a thread carrying looper. -It will be obvious from certain aspects of my invention, in place of a thread carrying looper, a non-thread carrying looper may be used.

Vt hen the looper carrier 18 is tilted forward as shown in Fig. 2, the eye 23 of the looper and the thread guide 24 of said looper, are brought to a position underneath the opening 25 in the work support, which opening is closed by the usual sliding cover 26. It will thus be seen that the looper may be readily tilted forward so as to bring the same underneath the opening in the work support for convenience in threading, after which said looper is returned to its normal position for operation.

Cotperating with the looper 22 IS a thread carrying needle 27 which mounted on the lower end of the needle bar 3. If a plurality of loopers are used, then of course, a plurality. of needles will be used, so that each looper will have coilperating therewith a needle.

The looper supporting shaft 14 is mounted in bearings 29 and 30 so that said shaft may not only oscillate, but be moved longitudinally. As a means for oscillating said looper supporting shaft, I have provided the end of said shaft with a crank arm 31 which is connected by means of a link 32 to a rock lever 33, which is fulcrunied on a swinging link 34, pivoted at one end to the standard of the machine. Said link is supported and vibrated up and down by means of an eccentric strap 35 which coiiperates with an eccentric 36 on the main shaft 6. The rock lever 33 is oscillated from a pitman 37 which cooperates with an eccentric 38 on the main shaft and is connected to the arm 33 of said rock ever.

The eccentrics 36 and 38 are oppositely disposed upon the shaft so that as the cocentric strap 35 moves in one direction, the eccentric strap 37 moves in the opposite direction. The link 32 and the downwardly extending arm of the rock lever 33, are so disposed that the pivotal connection 39 between said parts moves toward and from a line passing through the ball stud 40 on the arm 31 and the fulcrum 41 of the rock lever. It will be apparent therefore, that as the pivot stud 39 approaches said line, the

movement imparted to the looper supporting shaft will decrease until said movement is brought to a dwell. Said pivotal connection as shown in Fig. ,5, moves slightly to the right of the line above referred to and therefore, the looper supporting shaft will be maintained at a dwell so far as its oscillating movement is concerned,

for a considerable period of time.

It will be apparent from the arrangement of parts shown in Fig. 5, that as the lever 33 swings from the dotted position to the position shown in full lines, the fulcrum point of said lever will be lowered as the swinging arm 34 which supports said lever is also lowered by reason of the fact that the eccentric strap 35 is moved to its lowest position. The throw of the eccentrics 36 and 38 will therefore, be addedtogether and give to the looper an extremely quick forward movement. The looper is reaching the forward end of its stroke just as the pivot point 39 between the lever 33 and the link 32 has reached the center line above referred to, and therefore, the looper will, be caused to dwell a considerable length of time at the forward end of its stroke.

As the lever 33 moves from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 5 ,'to the position shown in dotted lines, the looper is retracted. Again the throw of the eccentric 36 is added to the throw of the eccentric 38 and the looper will be brought very quickly to the rear end of its stroke and a slight dwell will be caused in the movement of the looper owing to the fact that the eccentrics 36 and 38 are at this time passing the dead center. The swinging arm connection for supporting the rock lever and the arrange- Having thus particularly described my invention, what I'claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The Combination of a main shaft, of a looper, a looper support, oppositely dis-Q posed eccentrics carried by the main shaft, meansinterposed between said o'ppositely disposed .ec'cent'rics and the looper'support for moving thelooper intoeand out of the needle loop, said. means including devices for giving a dwell to the looperat the forwardend of its'strokc, -a'n eccentric on the main shaft, and means interposed between said 'last named eccentric and the looper support for moving 'said, looper laterally,

said last named means including toggle links so disposed relative to their connectionwith the looper support as'to move the 'loope'r laterally at each'e'nd of its stroke and to give to said looper a lateral dwell while said looper'is moving into and'out of the needle loop. i a

2, The combination with a looper, a looper support, means for osci-llating' said looper and means for moving said looper laterally including toggle linkslso disposed as to .--hold saidflooper from lateral movement during substantially its forward movement, '2.I1d its backward movement, and

move the same stroke.

laterally at each end of its 3. The combination with' a' looper, a

looper supporting shaft,meanjsj for oscillatin'g said] looper supporting shaft, includinga main shaft, eccentrics'oppositely disposed thereon and-means intermediate said o.'p posit'ely disposed' eccentrics and said looper supporting shaft, including toggle" links whereby themovement of saidecc'entrics is compounded, and transformed into a dilfen entialmovement by said toggle links.

.4. 'Thefc'ombination of; a. work support, a looper shaft extending longitudinally of the work su'pport,a looper mounted on said looper shaft, an arm projecting from said looper -shaft, means for oscillating said looper. shaft, comprising oppositely -dis posed eccentrics, a rock lever, one of said eccentrics being connected to said rock lever,

. a movable support forsaidrock lev er',.the "other eccentric being connected to said support form oving. the same, and. means for connecting the rock shaft to the arm projecting from the looper shaft.

5. The combination of a work support, a looper shaft extending. longitudinally of the work support, 'a' looper mounted on said looper shaft, an arm projecting from said looper shaft, means for oscillating said-looper shaft comprising oppositelyliisposcd eccentrics, a rock lever, one of said eccentrics being connected to said rock lever, a movable sup port for said rock lever, the-otherfleccentric being connected to said support anmoving the same, and means for connecting the rock looper supporting'shaft.

shaft to the arm projecting from the looper shaft, a third eccentric, a lever connected to said third eccentric,'and a link for connecting said lever to said looper shaft for movingthe same longitudinally.

6. The combination of a work support, a looper'shaft extending longitudinallyof the work support, a looper mounted ,on said looper shaft, an arm projecting from id looper shaft, means for oscillating said looper shaft, comprising oppositely disposed eccentrics, a rock lever, one of said eccentrics. being connected. to said rock lever, amovable support for-said rock. lei-er, the other eccentric being connected to said support for moving thesamc, and means for connecting the'rock shaft to the arm proecting from the looper shaft, a third oment-ric, a. lever having a pivotal support in a horizontal-plane passing through the longitudinal axis of the looper shaft, a link 0011- necting one endyo f said lever, to said third eccentric, and a link connecting the'opposite end of said shaft. Y g 1 v 7. The combination avitha .looper, a looper supporting shaft, means for oscillat- 'ing said looperl-supporting shaft and giving thereto adwell, and means for molvingthe looper laterally, including a 'le've r,oa link'. connected to said leverQand' said looper shaft, the pivotal connection between said link and said lever moving in the'sain e rection as-the connection between the-said link. and said looper "supporting shaft,-

whereby 'no lateralw movementjis given to continued movement of said leiet. caiisesthe lever to said looper supporting said, shaft during its oscillation [and thev shaft to move' longitudinally..diiring the" dwell in the oscillating movements? ofsaid 8Q The combination of a looper, a looper supporting shaft, means for oscillating said I looper, comprisingoppositely disposed eccentrics, a rocklever-{connectionsbetween one of said eccentrics and said rock lever, .a swinging link supporting] said rock lever, connections between the other eccentric and said link, means for connectin said rock lever to'said'looper'supporting for moving said loopersupport ngshaft longitudinally, comprising a lever, an ecccntric on the main shaft, and connections ima, means nearietd theer ment of the oppositely disposed eccentrics for operating the looper to give the same" a quick forward and backward movement, is not-of itself claimed herein, as the same forms the subject matter of my co-pending application #213,516, filed June 21, 1904.

The combination however, of said swing-- ing link, vibrating lever: and oppositely disposed eccentrics -withthe link connection 32, whereby the looper is given an extended dwell at'the forwardrend of its stroke, is

a partiofmy present invention.

As a means for moving the looper sup- The other E-end o'f theislever-r :is provided with a. stud: 48,=.which is :oonnected-\to a p tmana 49 cooperating with an geccentriv on the main shaft 6.

rAsLtheE lever efiifoscillates about itsfulegidutheaball stud as; 1

The operationgof, 'my looper .i'

:oseiliates, the. Hal be of said Sl'ia'fl}, as shown-- 111 a slim ini Fig; 7 When; f ositiort=shown in Figxtii't,

about to be retracted. a D'uringl theretracting of the; lqoper, it. is desirableito move the; vasrpossibleiin' 'aistraight 1ine,

so ia e pecially til looper shaft 14 ai oscillates retraott f'the loope'r, the 1=hall -t.

position shown r-irr zfi ito. they-position shownr-in Fig, 7. (The,,partsqaareiso. timed u that as-thje ballistud '43:comniencesg ts-oscihlation,- thehpivotal point v5 4C7 andithealev er- 145; also z'inoves-;downward andas the point sl 'andetiifinove downward togethei there willlbe' no longitudinahmovenient g'ive'nfto the {looper supportingshaft; and consequentlyino "lateral movement igtven to the klooperi "As soon .'however,-las. :the looper approaches the rear end ofits stroke,

the movement of the pivotalcouue'ctiou 51 gains upon the oscillating movement of the. stud 48, which is now-slowed up by reason of the-fact thatlth eccentrics 36"and 38 for operating the looper are approaching the dead center-and as a eonsequencegthe,

sitionlslightly below-'asaid'. plane-,Vasv 1 e parts are in the heilopper been: J moved laterally to 'avoide'fthe andajsw pig-its istrokeki As the between-the 4 51 approaches a linepassing? through the fulcrumfpoiut 46 and pivot stud 46' and;

pivotal connection 51 continues and the looper will Joe-moved very quickly, laterally and thus given its needle avoiding stroke.

As-the looper is reachin'g'the'forward end of its strokegthe link 32 and .the rock lever full lines inv Fig. 5, and the looper is therefore, brought to .a dWell:-' Thedwell of the looperatlzh'e: forward end of its-stroke con I r tinuesP practically during the" entire time that the looper is i'noved -lat'e rally; TDhe 'restilting path of movement-of the eyei o-f the lo'oper, is therefore as "shown in ;Fig{ 10: practically a right line movement I 7 f for-ward into Ith'e needle loop, substantially s afolA- glowsiz-As the: io'op'e sup-patting shaftwlen a right line movement laterally to avoid the need] e, "a right line 'movement to withdraw the; looperf froin the needle loop with] a- -slightlyrmundediimqvement at thefrear end '1' 1 of ithe fistroke ofi the loo'pei as" the looper is g brought to" its normal position for movementgiforward into the" needle loop.

Oii the under side of the thro'at;-'plate," -I rhaveprovided a loop spreader 52- which, as

shown in :the drawing, is. in the Y form of a downwardly projecting-.1 post having a slightly'inclined' position: see* Fig. 12 to v looper. moves-forwardiinto the needle loop,

and wheh-it' reachesthe forward end of 'its- :ud .413 moves from the-s? form'a shoulder to receive the ilooper thread. .Tliis spre'ader (see Figs.":' 10, 11 and 12) 1s located directly in front of the needle. The" 'theinee'dle avoiding movement,- This lateral imo vement' of. the looper lays-the looper thread on' the shoulder 53 0f the spreader, lwhich shoulder is formed by; the inclined Ipositiouofthe post as clearly shown in thedrawings. As viewed in: Fig, '2, the looper moves forward on the left of the spreader, and is'retracted -();n the opposite sidethereof.

ment of the looper', the 'glooper thread will i'During the first/part of'theibackwardmove 1 be-held 'on the spreaderas shown inFigu '7 11,, which properly separates the! looperr thread'from the body of the looper; so that =the needle may enter between said looper thread andsaid looper body. A further backward movement of" the looper will cause 'the looper: thread to slip i from. the spreader.-

. r 33, are approaching the position shown 1n projecting stud carried b centric on the main shaft, connections between said eccentric and said lever, and a said looper supporting shaft, and a link etween said lever and said projecting stud.

10; The combination with a looper, a. looper support, means for oscillating said looper and means for moving said looper laterally including toggle links so disposed as to holdsaid looper from lateral movement during substantially its forward move ment, and its backward movement, and move the same laterally at each end of its stroke, and a spreader arranged in the path of the looper thread as the looper is moved laterally for engaging the same and separating the looper thread from the looper body for the entrance of the needle.

11. The combination of a work support, feeding mechanism, a needle, a looper, a looper supporting shaft located substantially at right angles to the line of feed, a looper carrier mounted on said looper supporting shaft,said work support having an opening formed therein, a cover plate for saidopening, said looper carrier being formed of two parts, means for pivotally connecting said parts so that the part carrying the looper maybe swung in a vertical plane from its normal position beneath the opening in the work support, and render it easily accessible for threading.

12. The combination with a work support, a looper supporting shaft mounted beneath said work support, a looper carrier thereon, a looper supported on said carrier, said work support having an opening therein, a cover platetherefor, said looper carrier being made in two parts whereby the same may be moved forward from normal position beneath the opening in said work support, and a spring provided with means for holding saidlooper both in itsnormal position 'and in its forward position.

13. The combination of a looper carrier,

comprising two parts, one of which has spaced ears and the other of which is pivoted between said spaced ears and isprovided. with a downwardly projecting portion, a spring carried by one of said parts,

and having a shoulder, therein which cooperates with the downwardly projecting portion of the carrier to hold said carrier in two predetermined positions.

14:. The combination of a work support, a looper, a looper support on which said looper is mounted, means for oscillating said looper support including oppositely disposed eccentrics, a swinging arm connected to one of said eccentrics, a rock shaft. fulcrumed on said swinging arm and connected to the other eccentric, an arm carried by the looper shaft, and a link connectin said arm with the rock shaft, said link and said free arm of the rock shaft being disposed so as to be substantially in line when the looper is at one end of its stroke, whereby an increased dwell is given to the looper.

15. The combination of a work support, a looper, a looper-supporting shaft, means for moving said looper-supporting shaft longitudinally, ,including a rock lever pivoted in a horizontal plane passing substantially through the axis of the looper shaft, an arm carried by the looper shaft and projecting laterally therefrom, a link connecting said arm and one end of saidrock lever, the arm of said rock lever and said link be-v ing substantially in line when the looper shaft is at one end of' its movement, means for operating said rock lever, and means for oscillating the looper shaft to move the looper into and out of the needle loop.

' In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

LANSING ONDERDONK.

Witnesses:

R. S. OSWALD, WALTER HARTLEY. 

